Gerard took in his surroundings, the polished, dark wood counter, the worn out tables and chairs and sofas, the dim, orangey lighting and the strong aromas of coffee and cinnamon dancing in the air. He admired the abstract paintings on the wall of sunsets and far away lands, dark around the edges and full of rich colours, a bit like the shop itself.
He walked forwards towards the counter and noticed no one was behind it. He thought for a second that the shop might be closed but other people were in here so it can't be.
He began to walk away from the counter when he collided with someone behind him.
'Fuck! I'm sorry!' he exclaimed on instinct, hoping that it wasn't the lonely old lady.
When he turned round he noticed it wasn't the little old lady, it was a guy who must be a couple of years younger than him. Gerard's breath hitched a little in his throat because this man was...beautiful.
His ebony hair was cut quite short and a little ruffled, except for his fringe which hung down, curling, on the right side of his face. He had a rings on his right nostril and the left side of his pink, delicate lips. His eyes were a soft caramel color with hints of green around the irises, shining in the dim light and looking a little panicked. He was about 5 foot 4 and a Misfits hoodie clung to his skinny little frame.
He smiled nervously up at Gerard.
'Its okay, were you looking for Freya?' Gerard had to take a moment to compose himself because of his voice. It was deep and slightly husky but still velvety smooth, laced with a thick New Jersey accent. It made Gerard's heart jump.
'Err, I just really, really want a coffee,' Gerard said, smiling sheepishly. The guy smiled back and laughed a little airily.
'I know how you feel, i'll just get Freya, Frey!' he called. A short, plump woman came round and stood behind the counter. She smiled sweetly at them
'Hello Frank dear, is this your friend?' Gerard barely heard her ask the question because he was repeating Franks name inside his head. Frank, Frank, Frank. Frank, Frank, Frank. It suited him perfectly.
Frank blushed slightly and Gerard thought it was the most adorable thing he'd ever seen.
'No, I-he, he just wanted wanted a coffee.' Frank looked towards Gerard and Gerard just stared before he realised Frank was meaning for him to talk.
'Oh, err, could I just have a large black coffee please?' Gerard asked, turning towards the counter.
'Sure thing sweetie, do you want anything, Frank?' Frank shook his head.
'No, I've gotta get back, I'll probably pop by tomorrow sometime.' Gerard's heart sank. He was leaving? He wouldn't even get to talk to him properly.
'Okay Frankie, be safe,' Freya replied.
'Like always Frey, like always,' Frank replied, smirking slightly before turning to face Gerard, smirk being replaced by a nervous smile, Gerard smiling too at Franks expression.
'Well, bye,' Frank said.
'Bye Frank.' He gave a hesitant little wave of his tattooed hand and headed towards the door, pulling it open and stepping out, being absorbed by the night.
Gerard turned back towards to counter, wondering why the shop seemed more silent and dreary all of sudden when he felt a poke on his back. He turned round and saw Frank looking up at him.
'Hi, I just realised that you never told me your name and I wondered what it was,' he said, cheeks blushing a bright rose and ducking his head, fringe falling in front of his right eye. Gerard felt overwhelmed by his cuteness but replied.
'Gerard, my names Gerard.' Frank looked up a him, smiling.
'Gerard,' he whispered, 'it suits you.'
'Thank you, Frank suits you too, you know,' Gerard said, making Frank blush yet again and he really wished he would stop doing that because he wasn't sure he could take it.
'Thank you. Well, I guess I'll see you around, Gerard,' Frank said, slowly backing off towards the door.
'Bye Frank,' Gerard replied, watching as Frank beamed at him before he pulled the open and disappeared into the night again.
'Here's your coffee, sweetie,' Freya said, placing the mug on the table.
'Thanks,' Gerard said, paying and taking a seat, too distracted to see the knowing look in Freya's eyes.

*

The cold still hit Frank when he stepped out of the coffee shop the second time. He didn't know why he left, he didn't have anywhere to go, he never did, but something about Gerard...unnerved him? No, it wasn't a bad thing, definitely not, but more something unfamiliar, something new, just what Frank had asked for.
He sighed, breath coming out in small white wisps against the menacing night air, and walked forward slightly towards his car. He climbed in, reaching in his back pocket for his beloved cigarettes and lighter, placing the cancer stick between his lips and directing the flickering flame towards the end, inhaling deeply and shutting the door.
He doesn't know how long he sat there for, nor does he care, he just stared out of his window into the distant night sky which was pretty much fully dark now. He thought about Gerard, mainly. The mysterious man whom he'd made a fool of himself in front of, blushing like a school girl. He mentally cursed himself for acting like such a child, but he couldn't change it now.
The more he sat there, the more he regretted the decision to leave. He wanted to speak to Gerard, get to know him, to see him smile again and talk out of the right side of his mouth. To look into his dirty green eyes and run his hand through his unkempt, raven hair.
Frank was slowly drifting off into Gerard-land when he heard something tap against the window to his left. He immediately froze, his third cigarette halfway to his lips and slowly turned to face the window, heart racing slightly.
He sighed with relief when he turned to see Gerard smiling nervously at him through the window of the car. Frank smiled back. He just stared at Gerard for a minute, drinking in his features in the dim half light of the street, until he realised he should probably open the door. Panicking he was being rude, he reached out and flung the door open, momentarily forgetting Gerard's closeness, giving a shocked and slightly confused looking Gerard and big blow to the waist and sending him flying backwards, gasping and catching his leg on the door on the way down.
Franks heart was beating as Gerard cried 'fuck!' rather loudly. He didn't want to move, his chest ached and he had an overwhelming feeling of wanting to disappear. He was embarrassed and afraid and he felt like he'd just ruined the best chance of making a friend he'd had in a long time. He nearly felt tears well up at the thought Gerard might be angry or sad with him as he fidgeted in his seat.
He closed his eyes before opening them again and chancing a look at Gerard. He was looking up at Frank, eyes slightly wide, the left side of his face illuminated by the light of the coffee shop, light dancing off his green eyes and defined cheekbones. His expression was hard for Frank to make out but it definitely didn't look angry or upset. Frank relaxed a little, still staring at Gerard wordlessly, searching his brain for any possible words to say in a situation like this, never having been in one before.
Frank swallows, preparing to say whatever comes out his mouth when Gerard stops him. He doesn't hit Frank, he doesn't cry, he doesn't yell and he doesn't walk away.
He laughs. Loudly.
His laugh is strange, Frank thinks. He laughs like he's actually pronouncing the word 'ha,' starting off quite low before ascending to a higher pitch and dissolving into high, childlike, heart melting giggles, his smile wide, showing off his small, crooked teeth and the corners of his eyes crinkling slightly. It made Franks stomach clench.
Frank just stares incredulously at the mysterious giggling man called Gerard he just knocked down with his car door for a couple of seconds before Gerard's infectious laughter invades and he's giggling too, all high pitched and bubbly.
They just laugh for what feels like forever but not long enough at the same time, until Gerard sighs and looks Frank straight in the eyes, still smiling, making Franks heart flutter.
'Gerard, I am so fucking sorry! I just spaced and forget to open the door and then I forgot you were there and then...' Frank trailed off, ducking his head and blushing slightly, again. He mentally cursed himself for doing so.
'Hey, don't worry, it's cool. I don't think I'm badly hurt, I'll live,' Gerard replied, smiling even bigger if that's possible. Frank immediately lent down and put out a hand to help Gerard up, feeling the fallen mans soft, cold hand in his own, sending sparks over his skin at such a simple touch. He pulled Gerard up and maybe held onto his hand for longer than necessary before pulling his hand away.
He let go and looked down, scuffing his feet in the ground and attempting not to feel Gerard's gaze burning into him as he blushed, again. He needs to stop doing that.
'Hey, Frank, you okay?' Gerard asked softly and Frank looked up again into Gerard's mesmerising eyes, the greens swirling with a hint if brown and a look of slight concern but a general happy spark in them.
'Yeah, sorry, yeah,' Frank replied, smiling lightly back. Gerard opens his mouth to say something before he has some kind if realisation and frowns slightly, pulling his phone out of his pocket and checking the time as the little fluorescent light shines on his delicate features.
'Fuck,' he mutters, 'Frank, I'm really sorry but I have to go, I have to finish this really important painting for tomorrow and I've barely even started. I'm sorry.' he smiles apologetically at Frank before his smile grows, adding, 'at least I actually have to go, unlike some people.'
Frank blushes, again. He looks down slightly before realising, Gerard said painting. He's an artist. Of course he fucking is, he's too perfect not to be.
Frank looks back up again.
'Yeah, sorry about that, I dunno why I even said that.'
'Don't worry, I guess I'll see you around Frank, because I really have to go.' Gerard looks sort of...sad and Frank decides this is a good thing, Gerard doesn't want to go and he doesn't want Gerard to go.
'Okay, see you Gerard,' he says as Gerard steps back and along the pavement, smiling at Frank, waving and starting to walk off. Frank waves back and watches Gerard turn round and walk away, lighting up a cigarette as he turns around the corner and disappears.
Frank sighs. He seriously thinks that maybe he just made him up, he's a figment of his imagination, some weird fantasy to make Frank feel less alone.
He just stands there staring at the corner Gerard turned round and its quite a while later when he gets into his beaten up green car and drives home.